Sumaq Machu Picchu Hotel

We had chosen the sumaq hotel as we were looking forward to an upgraded experience with a comfortable nights sleep after a week of touring round Peru. The staff met us at the station and brought our baggage to the hotel where we given our room in the 5th floor. The room itself was a superior room with good amenities however its location was awful being just feet from the railway track into town. The trains ran until past midnight and we had no sleep at all. We had to be up at 4.30 for our slot to Machu Picchu so were exhausted before we even started. That afternoon someone called to ask us if the room was to our liking and we told them of our disturbed night. We were offered earplugs which would not have made much difference as the trains were so loud. We spoke with Antonio at the front desk who was most helpful and gave us a different room in the first floor facing the road. As a result we had a wonderful nights sleep on our second night. Staff at the hotel were friendly and helpful. Food at breakfast was excellent. If we had had a different room the first night the stay would have been totally different too.

First, I never stayed at the Belmond Sanctuary Lodge, and the reviews of its staff are glowing. That said, from the outside, the front/facade of the Belmond looked tired—not like the pictures online. We were a family of three (our adult daughter joined us), and we stayed in the Imperial Suite at Sumaq, which was drop-dead gorgeous. This was for half the price of a standard room at the Belmond. The Belmond also did not offer triple rooms, so we would have had to pay for two rooms at $2,000 each! The 20-minute bus ride from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu was scenic and kind of fun—no big deal. We toured Machu Picchu over two days on different circuit tickets, and Sumaq provided us with excellent private guides each day: Rod and Antoinetta. The Belmond is right at the entrance to Machu Picchu, so if you had 6 a.m. tickets, you would be first in line to get in which may be worth it for some. We had 10 a.m. tickets, and with the new circuit-ticket system, the crowds were never obnoxious. Our guides were able to find plenty of spots where we were all alone, with plenty of opportunities for pictures. The online pictures showing the front of the Belmond were not that accurate. What I saw just steps from the front of the Belmond were tons of people, buses, and noise. Also, anyone can use their dining room, not just hotel guests, so it’s not very serene. Because the buses start early and run all day, the chaotic scene right outside the Belmond goes on all day! Sumaq in Aguas Calientes is at the end of town, very quiet, and the bus from Machu Picchu dropped us right in front of the hotel. Ditto for all the prior reviews about the excellent food and wonderful staff at Sumaq! Thanks again, Sumaq—we had a wonderful time and made the right choice!

Just the best way to experience Machu Picchu. It's such a hard place to visit, with the trains from Cusco and the bus schedules, that it really can tire one out to not stay in Machu Picchu town. That is why I really love SUMAQ, because it's the place where there's genuine luxury hospitality right in town. That way, you can experience Machu Picchu once or even twice and not feel rushed or lose sleep trying to get back to Cusco and do all those additional travel arrangements to get in and out of the mountain valley. Besides that, the hospitality at SUMAQ is just lovely. Everyone there is so friendly and willing to make arrangements for you, speak with you, really take the time to learn who you are, be your friend, and tell you about their experiences on the ground in Peru. Above all, the food is absolutely fantastic for the breakfasts, lunch, and dinners around your visit to Machu Picchu.

As you may or may not know, it is a journey to get to Aguas Calientes. We had travelled all day from since 6 am from Lima and we got to Sumaq around 9:30 p.m. Jose was the first of many friendly faces and welcoming spirits from Sumaq. He helped us with our luggage, and filled us in with all the wonders of Sumaq. We had an amazing dinner. We took well deserved showers and relaxed in our robes. The hotel is beautiful and made the long rigorous travel worth it. There were complimentary drinks and breakfast. The staff went above and beyond to make sure we had all the information needed for our stay at Aguas Calientes not just their hotel. Jose then again said goodbye to us by dropping off our luggage at the train. They did asked about our stay and how they could improve. I’ll say it again, “it could have not been more perfect.” Thank you to everyone at Sumaq, it was truly a pleasure.

Hotel staff was very helpful and polite, Pepe and Daniel went above and beyond to make our experience memorable